Venezuela Sunday 17/06

Sunday 17/06)

Up at 5am, left Mene just after 6 am. Stopped to buy empanadas for breakfast at El Palito (Puerto Cabello), then on to Valencia .. Arriving about 1hr before the meeting time, so we stopped  at a panaderia for a drink etc, and then headed on to the meeting.

Tarapio Gospel Hall... Wow... It was sooooooo good to be back at our home assembly once more! It felt like we had just been away for a week or geo and were back home again, except for the fact that our then 8 month old  firstborn baby is now 8yrs old and going around taking all the photos of wveryone for mum and dad.  

It was so encouraging to see so many old faces, old faces who were young ones years ago and have grown up, been baptized and added to the fellowship of the assembly, 1 brother and 4 young sisters who are to be baptized next week ( including a young sister who was a girl in a SS at Tazajal where weused to go to help out of a saturday afternoon). 

The sisters had so kindly prepared a really delicious meal (pabellon: rice, carne mechada, caraotas y tajadas) which was served in the hall in large polystyrene plates with their lids on.  Fresh fruit juice and a delicious big cupcake for desert. 

After leaving the hall we went to visit an aged sister who is bedridden. It was such a joy to be able to all stand around the bed and sing her favourite hymns... Have her even say a few words to us and see her faint smile from the depth of her heart. We also were able to see and briefly  encourage a dear sister from our assembly who, sadly, hasn't been at the meetings regularly of late. 

Yenny de Maduro and her girls were there at Tarapio that morning,  so they came to visit with us and then we all headed home to my suegra's home.  Quickly washed some clothes and then get ready for SS at Cania de Azucar.

It was such a joy to be at the SS there in C de A.  That was the SS close to Willians home that he and Ramon had started with just a few children many many years ago. Some 5 yrs or so ago, a house was bought for the purpose of a building for the SS and any gospel meetings. The Sunday School was held in the back yard with some 50 children or more there, most of who are from unsaved families and who have to be picked up in cars from closeby sectors of Cania de Azucar. 

A lovely family from the assembly live in a part of the house and act as caretakers too. 

After SS, Pablo ( our primo who is in assembly fellowship along with Lisneyda his wife) dropped us home and we got ready to head on down for the Gospel meeting.

After the gospel meeting we came home and primo Gerson Pabon along with his wife, 2 teenage kids and a smaller girl came around to visit and brought some cachapas for dinner together. They all stayed for a lovely visit and then it was off to bed. 

It was Gerson who was kidnapped just some months ago. By the grace of God his life was spared... He is still not saved .. Please pray for him and his family.